Lebanon's PM quits over election impasse

The prime minister of Lebanon has resigned after his cabinet failed to agree on forthcoming elections, in a decision that automatically brings down the government.

In a speech aired live on television, Najib Mikati said hoped his departure would be "an impetus for leaders to shoulder their responsibilities".

"I announce the resignation of the government, hoping that this will open the way for the major political blocs to take responsibility and come together to bring Lebanon out of the unknown," he said.

After months of wrangling, the parliament has been unable to agree on a law to govern elections slated for June.

The cabinet was divided on two issues, including the formation of a commission to oversee the ballot.

The government has held off on agreeing on the membership of the commission over fears it would ensure that elections are held on the basis of a decades-old electoral law.'

Mr Mikati is said to favour the existing law.

It gives his Sunni community and the Druze disproportionate strength in parliament, but is opposed by Christians who say it fails to give them representative weight.

There was also disagreement over Mr Mikati's request to extend the tenure of the country's police chief.

'Salvation government'

Mr Mikati hopes a new unity government can now be formed to save the country from going over the brink.

"A national salvation government in which all Lebanese political forces are represented, in order to save the nation and deal with regional developments with a collective spirit of responsibility," he said.

Mr Mikati said he was willing to resign last year, after a car bombing that killed the police intelligence chief, but president Michel Sleiman rejected it and he stayed in office.

He became prime minister in 2011 after five months of negotiations, positioning himself as a political moderate able to deal with all political parties.

He headed a government dominated by the so-called March 8 coalition, made up of Hezbollah and its allies, and drew fire from Sunnis who accused him of betraying his community and siding with the Syrian- and Iranian-backed group.

The resignation throws Lebanon into new uncertainty, and comes as the violence in Syria increasingly affects the country.

The conflict has exacerbated existing tensions in Lebanon's multi-confessional population and violence between opponents and supporters of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad has already spilled over the border.

Damascus has warned Beirut against allowing fighters and weapons to enter the country.